Business First reports plans for a 40,000-square-foot neighborhood retail center at the southwest corner of Linworth Road and Route 161 in (mostly) Worthington.  The retail development would be called Linworth Crossing and would replace the former Volvo dealership on the site.  Certainly, the 5.2 acre property is split between Worthington and Perry Township and will need to be fully annexed into the City of Worthington before the project can proceed.

 

- More about the Linworth Crossing development at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/06/05/retail-center-planned-in-worthington.html

 

- Beginning of the annexation process at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2013/07/10/annexation-process-begins-on-2-8-acres-in-perry-township.html

 

- More Linworth Crossing annexation news at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2013/10/08/west-dublin-granville-at-linworth-site-clears-another-annexation-hurdle.html

 

Segna Motors site rezoned for shopping center

By CANDY BROOKS, ThisWeek Community News

Thursday,  December 19, 2013 - 4:45 PM

 

The recently annexed Segna Motors site has been rezoned to allow the construction of a shopping center, which is planned for the land at the southwest corner of Linworth and West Dublin-Granville roads.  Worthington City Council on Dec. 9 approved the C-2 zoning classification.

 

All five parcels that recently were annexed from Perry Township are included in the new zoning category.  Two additional parcels already in the city are expected to receive the same zoning classification after the entire plat is combined.  Combined, the new lot will be about 4.6 acres, stretching from Linworth Road nearly to the railroad tracks, where a small plot remains part of Perry Township.

 

A developer from West Virginia earlier announced plans to build a shopping center on the site.  No development applications have been filed, but city staff members have had discussions about the development.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2013/12/10/segna-motors-site-rezoned-for-shopping-center.html

More about the 41-acre UMCH site in Worthington - previously updated here in this thread:

 

City leaders envision mixed-use options

By CANDY BROOKS, ThisWeek Community News

Tuesday, December 17, 2013 - 5:07 PM

 

Worthington city officials' vision for the redeveloped United Methodist Children's Home property probably will include a mixture of offices, shops, restaurants, apartments, town houses and single-family homes.  Four scenarios presented during a Dec. 4 public forum each included all of those uses, with office and retail uses along High Street and various layouts of apartment buildings and other housing options behind the commercial uses.

 

Chris Hermann and Darren Meyer, representing the consulting firm, MKSK, presented the possible uses for the 41 acres of prime land along North High Street, across from the Worthington Municipal Building.  MKSK was hired by the city to lead the UMCH visioning project, which will result in an update to the city's comprehensive plan, a document that serves as a guide to developers and city decision-makers as they plan for the city's future. -- The UMCH land is for sale.  The city decided to take a proactive stance toward its redevelopment after residents objected to a proposal to build a Giant Eagle there in September 2012.  That proposal later was withdrawn.

• Scenario 1 includes a town green along High Street, with office and retail uses north and south.  Three-story, "flats-type" apartments would be along the south end, with townhomes in the center and zero-lot-line homes nearest the Worthington Estates residential area to the west.  All of the scenarios include access to Evening Street, along the curve between Greenbriar Court and Highgate Avenue.

• Scenario 2 includes office and retail along High Street, three-story apartments to the west and green space surrounded by town houses in the center, with an outer ring of the zero-lot-line single-family homes.

• Scenario 3 includes office and retail along High Street, three-story apartment buildings arranged around green space in the center and zero-lot-line homes on the perimeter.

• Scenario 4 is similar to scenario 3, except with town houses surrounding the central green space.

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2013/12/11/umch-site-city-leaders-envision-mixed-use-options.html

A look back at Worthington's development news in 2013:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2013/12/17/governing-worthington-as-year-progressed-so-did-citys-development.html

A preview of Worthington's development issues and other news for 2014:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/01/02/new-year-to-bring-new-leaders.html

Larger library offers more space, services, materials

By CANDY BROOKS, ThisWeek Community News

Wednesday, January 15, 2014 - 11:00 AM

 

The Worthington Park Library opened a new chapter last week.  Local leaders and library patrons officially opened the expanded branch of the Worthington Libraries on Jan. 10, welcoming the additional space in the heavily used storefront library at 1389 Worthington Centre Drive.

(. . .)

The branch opened in 2008 in 5,280 square feet of store space at a strip center on Worthington-Galena Road.  The Worthington Libraries had been trying to open a branch in the northeast section of the school district for more than a decade because of the outcry for services in those neighborhoods.

(. . .)

When the store next to the Worthington Park Library became available, the board of trustees jumped at the opportunity to expand by 3,400 square feet, enlarging the library by 64 percent and providing space for an audio-visual collection, a larger children's area, a meeting room and a larger and improved homework help center.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/01/14/worthington-park-larger-library-offers-more-space-services-materials.html

Senior housing may lead East Wilson Bridge redevelopment

By CANDY BROOKS, ThisWeek Community News

Monday, January 20, 2014 - 5:31 PM

 

An apartment building for those ages 55 and older might be the first project in the redevelopment of East Wilson Bridge Road.  Preliminary plans for the 42-unit, two-story senior housing facility were presented to the Municipal Planning Commission on Jan. 9.

(. . .)

The application is for a planned-use district, the first in the city's history.  Worthington City Council approved the zoning classification last June.  It allows property to be rezoned based on specific plans and gives the city and the developer the ability to negotiate conditions that previously weren't included in a rezoning.  Procedurally, the commission is required to send with its recommendation a preliminary plan establishing uses and development standards to council.  If council approves the planned-use district, a final plan is submitted to the commission for final approval.

 

The development also would be the first on East Wilson Bridge Road since the city, residents and consultants began working on -- but did not quite finish -- the Wilson Bridge corridor plan in 2011.  The plan presents recommendations for the development of Wilson Bridge Road, from the Olentangy Parklands to McCord Park.  Much development has been approved on West Wilson Bridge Road since 2011, but this is the first application for development on East Wilson Bridge Road.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/01/14/senior-housing-may-lead-east-wilson-bridge-redevelopment.html

More about the 41-acre United Methodist Children's Home property in Worthington.  The citizens group, WARD, which stands for Worthington Alliance for Responsible Development, has issued a statement objecting to all the development scenarios presented by the firm hired by the city to develop possible plans for the 41 acres of prime Worthington real estate.  This development scenarios were previously posted here in the thread.

 

The update from ThisWeekNews about WARD's objections to the previous development scenarios are at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/02/11/ward-scenarios-for-umch-sites-future-seriously-flawed.html

Worthington may help fund industrial building fix-ups

By CANDY BROOKS, ThisWeek Community News

Saturday, February 22, 2014 - 5:00 PM

 

Money soon might become available to fix up building exteriors in the city's industrial area.  The city will focus its grant/loan program on the buildings along Huntley and Proprietors roads, most of which were built in the 1970s and are showing their age.  Worthington City Council on Feb. 10 heard a report on the ReCAP (Re-emergent Corridor Assistance Program).

(. . .)

Those approved could receive up to $25,000 for exterior improvements that would make a major visual change.  Projects that might be approved include masonry cleaning, enhanced lighting, new doors or windows, landscaping or street furniture, sidewalks or curbs, signs and stormwater improvements in parking lots.  Routine maintenance and interior improvements would not be eligible.

 

The city would match equally the amount of money the private owner would pay for the improvements.  Half of the money from the city would be a grant, with the other half a no-interest loan for up to three years.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/02/11/worthington-may-help-fund-industrial-building-fix-ups.html

Just a brief item about one of my favoritely named historic buildings in central ohio - the 203-year-old Orange Johnson House.  Its owners, the Worthington Historical Society, are going to be replacing the wood roof shingles on the oldest part of the building located at 956 High Street in downtown Worthington.

 

ThisWeekNews: Orange Johnson House - Historical society gets grant to fix roof

Worthington officials scheduled another public meeting with neighbors of 42-acre United Methodist Children's Home (UMCH) property on March 26.  ThisWeekNews has a pre-meeting report about this at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/03/18/umch-site-second-public-meeting-slated-for-march-26.html.

 

^ That pre-meeting ThisWeekNews report also has a good rundown of the issues involved in the property's redevelopment and a timeline of previous development proposals and planning efforts for the UMCH property at 1033 High Street in Worthington.  ThisWeekNews' post-meeting article at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/04/01/traffic-and-housing-still-concerns-for-umch-neighbors.html reports that (to no one's shock) the neighbors still don't like the planning proposals to redevelop the 42-acre site.

 

The primary neighbors concern involved any traffic being added to Evening Street - which borders the UMCH site and the adjacent single-family residential neighborhood of Worthington Estates.  If the neighboring residents had their way, all traffic would only enter and exit the UMCH site from High Street, as it currently does. --- Worthington officials and planning consultants told the neighboring residents that existing traffic arrangement only works for the lightly used, low density development that United Methodist Children's Home had on the property.  For anything more dense - and any redevelopment of the property would be more dense then it currently is - multiple means of entrance and exit is necessary.

 

The secondary concern of neighbors was any proposed increase in density for the UMCH property.  Worthington officials would like to see a mixed-use redevelopment of the 42-acre UMCH property.  With the more traffic generating commercial uses along High Street and a mixture of housing types reserved for the middle of the property.  Areas abutting Evening Street in Worthington Estates would be reserved for single-family homes.  While land along Rush Run on the south edge of the property would be set aside for green space.

 

The neighboring residents seemed to be okay with the concept of multi-family housing on the UMCH property.  But only with no traffic from it going on to Evening Street and only if the multi-family housing is for older people, or what is referred to as "aging-in-place" units in the form of patio homes, condominiums and apartments.  The idea of trying to attract young professionals (people under age 36 who do not have children) was dismissed as something "trendy" by the residents.

 

So, although there was no big "meeting of the minds" moment, it does appear that the redevelopment process for the UMCH site is slowly moving forward.  According to the Worthington officials in the most recent report from early April, the redevelopment recommendations will be tweaked and sent on for approval by the city's Municipal Planning Commission in the next month.  After the planning commission issues a recommendation, it would go to the Worthington City Council.

The City of Worthington's planning consultants met with the Worthington Planning Commission to present their recommended land use plan for the United Methodist Children's Home (UMCH) property.  The Dispatch had a report about this at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/06/28/worthington-panel-site-plan-falls-short.html.

 

Below is a map of the recommended land use plan for the UMCH property (which for some reason is being described in this report as 44.5 acres in size instead of the 42 acres previously reported:

 

 

In previous meetings with surrounding neighbors, objections were made about the residential portions of the proposal closest to the Worthington Estates neighborhood to the west.  At the Planning Commission, objections were made about the commercial portion of the proposal next to High Street.  Some, but not all, on the commission questioned having five-story buildings close to the street.  Some felt that this would be more appropriate farther in the Old Worthington downtown, but didn't fit the open lawns and setbacks of surrounding buildings in this part of High Street.

 

Other liked the idea of having shops and retail near High Street, favoring a walkable concept over something that "just looks good driving down the street".  Others pointed out that this is one of the last large development spots in Worthington - and that the city needs Class A office space in a higher density setting to attract and retain higher paid workers.  A compromise of a shallow setback, lower building height, and/or having the buildings terrace back at the top floors was suggested to the consultants.

 

The rest of the recommended land use plan meet with the approval of the Planning Commission, particularly the plan to preserve the ravine at Tucker Creek as green space.  Commission members asked the planning consultants to see whether they can adjust their design to address the High Street concerns and report back at their July 24 meeting.  At that meeting, the commission could either recommend approval or ask for more changes.

^ The Worthington Planning Commission added some "tweaks" to the development guidelines and sent the recommended land use plan for the United Methodist Children's Home (UMCH) property on to the Worthington City Council.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/07/26/worthington-panel-tweaks-plans-guidelines.html

 

Elsewhere on High Street in Worthington, a development proposal for Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.  Fresh Thyme is a new chain of stores featuring healthy and organic foods that opened its first store in Illinois this year - with plans to build 60 more stores across the Midwest in the next five years.  Fresh Thyme is opening its first Central Ohio store in Columbus on Sawmill Road in a former Borders bookstore later this year.

 

The proposed Fresh Thyme store in Worthington is a 30,000 square-foot grocery store to be located at 933 High Street.  An existing 1970's vintage office building on the site would be demolished to make way for the grocery store.  A joint Municipal Planning Commission/Architectural Review Board meeting was held on April 24 for an initial review of the plans.  The MPC/ARB and neighbors had very positive responses to the initial plans to build a grocery store near the center of Worthington, which has been without one for several years.

 

More about this from ThisWeekNews at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/04/29/city-leaders-praise-fresh-thyme-plans.html.

There was just one issue the MRC/ARB was not happy about - http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/05/27/fresh-thyme-wont-have-front-entrance-facing-high-street.html.

 

Below is the initial rendering of the Fresh Thyme grocery store, as seen from High Street.  Despite the appearance, the Fresh Thyme plans did not call for an entrance facing High Street.  Instead, the store would have a rear entrance facing a parking lot on the rear of the 933 High Street property.

 

 

The store building would be one story, with a second-story facade.  The second-story facade would screen rooftop mechanical equipment.  The building would face High Street with parking in the rear.  Since the initial rendering, some changes were made to the architecture to make it look more like other buildings in Worthington.  A proposed stone-faced water table was removed.  Instead, the building would have an all-brick exterior.

Eventually, the MRC/ARB did agree to permit the doors to be in the rear because the store's layout would not permit entrances on both sides.  Originally, plans showed a front with what appeared to be a door and seating on each side of the fake door.  At the insistence of the committee, the fake door has been removed.  As one ARB member said,  "If there isn't a door, I don't want it to look as if there's a door".

 

A tentative opening date for the Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is set for the third quarter of 2015.  More about this at http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/07/29/fresh-thyme-gets-approvals-months-ahead-of-schedule.html

Photos of The Heights at Worthington Place mixed-use development from http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/the-heights-at-worthington-place.  More about The Heights at Worthington Place was previously posted in this thread HERE on 12/19/13

 

The Heights at Worthington Place is a 200 apartment unit, 23,000 sq. ft. office space, 300 structured parking space, mixed-use development built in two buildings next to the Shops at Worthington Place (i.e. the renovated Worthington Mall).  The first photos show the completed residential-only building:

 

 

These photos show the office/residential building still under construction at the site next the renovated Worthington Mall:

 

Update on the redevelopment of a former car dealership site at the southwest corner of Linworth and West Dublin-Granville roads.  The project started the approval process, which included a rezoning and annexation of part of the property from a neighboring township, in late 2013 - previous post about this in the thread.  This is an update from April 2014 that I saved but it got lost in the shuffle - hence the delay in posting. 

 

Planning commission approves Linworth Crossing subdivision

By Candy Brooks, This Week Community News

Wednesday, April 2, 2014 - 10:10 AM

 

Linworth Crossing took another step forward with the approval of a subdivision plat and rezoning by the Worthington Municipal Planning Commission on March 27.  Final approvals of both must be made by Worthington City Council, which depends on the commission's recommendations.

 

Plans call for building the 40,000-square-foot shopping center at the southwest corner of West Dublin-Granville and Linworth roads, at the former Segna Motors site.  The city has not received official plans for the shopping center, but a leasing website and a sign on the property indicate the center would include restaurants, shops and a bank.  If council approves, the site will be zoned C-2, for community shopping center.

(. . .)

Two lots will be created.  The western 2.7 acres was annexed recently to Worthington from Perry Township, with an agreement that some taxes would continue to be paid to the township.  For taxing purposes, a map line will run down the middle of the newly created parcel.  The eastern 1.7 acres already was part of Worthington. ... The site's development also is subject to architectural review and development plan approval from the Architectural Review Board, the planning commission and council.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/04/01/planning-commission-approves-linworth-crossing-subdivision.html

Update on a different Worthington development with Linworth in its name.  This one is located about a 1/2 mile west of the previously posted Linworth Crossing development at the corner of Linworth Road and West Dublin-Granville Road (Route 161).  Renderings of this District at Linworth residential project at the CBF website:

 

Rents, amenities revealed for Vision's $42M luxury District at Linworth project in Worthington

By Brian R. Ball, Staff reporter

Columbus Business First - Aug 4, 2014, 5:34pm EDT

 

Upper Arlington-based Vision Development has started on its luxury District at Linworth project on Route 161 in Worthington.  The 326-unit complex with 64 townhomes broke ground a month ago.

 

Vision Development CEO Brent Wrightsel told me the first units in the $42 million apartment complex at 2427 W. Dublin-Granville Road will be delivered in late October or early November.

 

It will feature one-, two- and three-bedroom garden flats and townhomes, including 32 three-bedroom, three-bath townhomes and 32 two-bedroom, two-bath townhomes.  The other apartments are configured as carriage homes over parking garages and garden flats.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/08/01/rents-amenities-revealed-for-visions-42m-luxury.html

More about the mixed-use Heights at Worthington Place development from CU:

 

Pre-Leasing Underway for Worthington Place Apartments

By Brent Warren, Columbus Underground

August 10, 2014 - 1:02 pm

 

A sizable chunk of the parking lot surrounding the Shops at Worthington Place has been replaced by a 59-unit apartment building – pre-leasing is underway for those units, while construction continues on a second, larger building next door that will hold 134 apartments and about 20,000 square feet of commercial space.

(. . .)

Some changes have been made since the development – called The Heights at Worthington Place – was first approved last summer.  Fourteen one-bedroom apartments in the larger building were converted into seven three-bedroom units, in response to early demand for larger units.  The overall unit mix is now 80 one-bedrooms, 103 two-bedrooms, and 10 three-bedrooms. ... They hope to have all of the apartments in the smaller building online by early September, and to wrap up construction on the larger building by early spring of 2015.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/pre-leasing-underway-for-worthington-place-apartments-bw1

 

Below is a pic of the larger building under construction, as seen from the nearly complete smaller building.  Many more photos of both buildings at the CU article link posted above:

The first building in the Heights of Worthington Place mixed-use development is now completed and its apartment units are being leased:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/09/02/heights-at-worthington-place-first-apartment-building-open-ready-for-lease.html

The development guidelines for the 44-acres United Methodist Children's Home property has been approved by Worthington City Council:  http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/09/03/Worthington-Childrens-Home-land-development-guidelines.html

 

Map of the guidelines previously posted HERE.

MASONIC LODGE, SNOW HOUSE CONVERSION

City looking at downtown apartment plans

BY MARLA K. KUHLMAN, THIS WEEK NEWS

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 - 4:44 PM

 

A proposal has been filed with the city to convert the Masonic Lodge and the historic Snow House into apartments and to build several town houses in downtown Worthington.  Showe Worthington LLC, owners of the Worthington Inn, filed the plans last week. ... The proposal comprises two parts: one east of High Street along New England Avenue and one west also along New England Avenue.

 

East of High Street:  The entire Masonic Lodge at 643 High Street would be converted into 10 apartments.  The lodge has been on the market for two years.  Included in the sale would be parcels on either side of the drive behind Dewey's Pizza that leads to the United Methodist Church.  On the eastern lot, a single-family home would be built.  On the western lot, nearest to Dewey's, would be two two-story buildings with two town houses each.

 

West of High Street:  The Snow House, 41 W. New England Ave., would be converted to a single-family home.  It is currently being used as a gift shop by Igloo Press.  Igloo Press is in the carriage house next door and would be demolished, according to the plan.  Three town houses are proposed southwest of the Snow House, and four more town houses are proposed east of the property, with a drive separating the two.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/09/09/masonic-lodge-snow-house-conversion-city-looking-at-downtown-apartment-plans.html

The Worthington Municipal Planning Commission and the Architectural Review Board reviewed the plans to convert the Masonic Lodge and Snow House into apartments during their joint meeting on Sept. 11.  No final decision from them yet.  More about these plans from a later article in the Dispatch at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/09/12/town-homes-apartments-proposed-for-downtown-worthington.html

 

SITE MAP OF THE PROPOSED APARTMENT PLANS IN DOWNTOWN WORTHINGTON

 

THE 1816 SNOW HOUSE (#1 on the above map) AS SEEN FROM NEW ENGLAND AVENUE

THE SINGLE-STORY COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND WOULD BE DEMOLISHED

 

MASONIC LODGE (#3 on the above map) AS SEEN FROM HIGH STREET

THE ORIGINAL 1821 SECTION IS TO THE LEFT; THE LARGER 1955 ADDITION IS TO THE RIGHT

More about the initial Architectural Review Board/Municipal Planning Commission review of the Masonic Lodge-Snow House apartment plan from ThisWeekNews:

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/09/16/snow-house-apartments-plan-tabled-to-allow-time-to-scrutinize.html

Masonic Lodge-Snow House apartment plan tabled again by the ARC/MPC.  More about it from ThisWeekNews:

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/09/30/old-worthington-apartment-plans-tabled-until-concerns-addressed.html

Convenience store plans larger, updated UDF seeks officials' OK

BY CANDY BROOKS, THIS WEEK NEWS

Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - 1:40 PM

 

A larger, more modern United Dairy Farmers (UDF) convenience store and gas station may be built at the northeast corner of West Dublin-Granville and Linworth roads.

 

The new UDF would include an ice cream parlor with an outdoor seating area on the east side of the building, sidewalks along both roadways and a new left-turn lane on southbound Linworth Road at the intersection.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/09/23/convenience-store-plans-larger-updated-udf-seeks-officials-ok.html

Worthington getting another supermarket

By Dan Eaton, Staff Reporter

Oct. 2, 2014, 11:56am EDT - Columbus Business First

 

A startup grocery chain emphasizing natural and organic products is coming to Worthington’s downtown.

 

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market has picked the suburb for its second area store, after the fast-growing Phoenix-based chain opened its first shop in Ohio on Sawmill Road near Dublin in August.

 

Demolition of a 40,000-square-foot office building at 933 High St. is set to begin this month.  It will give way to a 30,000-square-foot Fresh Thyme.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/10/02/worthington-getting-another-supermarket.html

2015 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

City books $1.5M for abandoned library

By Candy Brooks, This Week Community News

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 - 12:47 PM

 

The City of Worthington will pour an additional $1.5 million into the abandoned Kilbourne Memorial Library next year, making it the most costly project in the proposed 2015 capital improvements program.  The city purchased the building (also known as the 752 Building) from the Worthington City Schools for $500,000 more than a decade ago and already has paid for numerous improvements, both exterior and interior.

 

The additional money will be used to for heating, ventilation and air conditioning and to make the building handicap-accessible.  The city's Community Improvement Corp. has taken control of the building and is attempting to lease it. Several restaurants supposedly have shown interest in occupying the building, which once was Worthington's library and was last used as the schools' administrative offices.

 

Other top-ticket projects included in the 2015 CIP are enhancements to the Wilson Bridge Road corridor, including signs, traffic, pedestrian, and bicycle improvements, $850,000; the annual street and sidewalk improvement program, $750,000; and detailed design work for the Huntley/Wilson Bridge/Worthington-Galena Road intersection, $600,000.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/10/14/2015-capital-improvements-city-books-1-5m-for-abandoned-library.html

Another more conceptual "big-ticket" item being floated for 2015 is the purchase of the Masonic Lodge building - whose conversion into apartments has been heard and tabled by the City's Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission.  This conversion is part of a larger redevelopment/renovation project for the Masonic Lodge and Snow House.

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/10/14/commission-chairman-says-city-shouldnt-purchase-lodge.html

A look back at Worthington development projects that took place in 2014.  And a look ahead to some anticipated 2015 developments within the City of Worthington:

 

2014: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/12/16/a-year-in-review-smart-redevelopment-was-citys-theme-in-2014.html

 

2015: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2014/12/29/city-leaders-see-2015-as-year-of-progress.html

SITE MAP OF THE PROPOSED APARTMENT PLANS IN DOWNTOWN WORTHINGTON

 

MASONIC LODGE (#3 on the above map) AS SEEN FROM HIGH STREET

THE ORIGINAL 1821 SECTION IS TO THE LEFT; THE LARGER 1955 ADDITION IS TO THE RIGHT

 

Don't know what's happening with the Snow House in Downtown Worthington.  But the Masonic Lodge building and property got the go-ahead for a residential redevelopment (at a reduced density).  The Masonic Lodge building will have 6 units instead of 10.  The vacant Masonic property will have 3 units instead of the 5 originally proposed.  More about it below:

 

Council OKs plan for nine living spaces

By ANDREW KING, THIS WEEK COMMUNITY NEWS

Thursday, January 29, 2015 - 1:03 PM

 

Worthington City Council has approved a preliminary plan for the space occupied by the old Masonic Lodge, known as the Showe property.  With approval of the plans, the buildings likely will include nine total living spaces.  The 1957 Masonic building, the larger of the two, will have five residential units, and the smaller 1820 building will be a single-family residence.  Around the corner on East New England Avenue, developers will build two town homes that will have an additional three total units.

 

The space at 634 High St. and 41 E. New England Ave. had been in front of the city's Municipal Planning Commission four times between September and December 2014 and went through many iterations of the plan before making its way to council.

 

Along the way, developers dropped the density of housing from 15 residences to nine, added garages rather than carports, included brick finishing on new buildings to mimic the existing Masonic Lodge buildings, pushed the new town homes farther from the street and varied material and color to appease the commission and the public.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2015/01/27/masonic-lodges-future-council-oks-plan-for-nine-living-spaces.html

Loeb Electric gets first facelift with help from ReCAP, OSU team

By ANDREW KING, THIS WEEK COMMUNITY NEWS

Wednesday, March 18, 2015 - 8:14 PM

 

As part of the city's Re-emergent Corridor Assistance Program, known as ReCAP, Worthington planners have worked with Ohio State University's Neighborhood Design Center for the first time in a series of planned projects to improve facades along Huntley and Proprietors roads.  The program is intended to "revitalize" the area by helping to fund facade improvements and matching dollar-for-dollar costs through half-loan, half-grant funding. The loan is at no interest and must be repaid in three years, whereas the grant is a one-time payment.

( . . . )

The first recipient of that planning was Loeb Electric at 6300 Huntley Road.  Improvements that are ready for a Worthington Community Improvement Corp. vote include a new concrete pad, drain tile installation, exterior trim, a new stucco facade, awnings and other signs.  The project is expected to be finished by July and cost nearly $50,000, with half of the funding coming from ReCAP funds.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2015/03/17/grants-no-interest-loans-loeb-electric-gets-first-facelift-with-help-from-recap-osu-team.html

Above is an aerial view of the former United Methodist Children’s Home that sits on approximately 41 acres in Worthington.  This view shows the property from the west.  High Street is at the top and Evening Street is at the bottom of the view.

 

The City of Worthington announced last week that Lifestyle Communities is planning to purchase the former United Methodist Children’s Home property.  The city expects Lifestyle Communities to present concept plans for public input before filing a development application this summer.  LC's development plans are expected to the match the previously approved land use plan for the UMCH site - SHOWN HERE.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2015/05/07/lifestyle-communities-to-buy-site-of-former-childrens-home.html

That's a game-changer in Worthington.

Lifestyle Communities recently presented a development proposal for the 41-acre United Methodist Children’s Home site, which sits directly across High Street from the Worthington Municipal Building and just a few blocks north of that city’s historic downtown (aerial view shown a few posts above).  The Lifestyle Communities proposal, which is based upon the land use plan approved by the City of Worthington, is shown in more detail at http://www.columbusunderground.com/neighbors-to-weigh-in-on-large-mixed-use-proposal-for-high-street-in-worthington-bw1

 

 

Below are some sample renderings of the High Street Corridor section.  The first is a view from High Street:

 

The second is a view of the linear park leading from High Street into the Transition Zone:

Pretty snazzy eh?  So the Lifestyle Communities proposal, which is based upon the land use plan that had a year's worth of meetings and was approved by the City of Worthington, should get a warm reception from the neighbors, right?  Wrong.  Worthington NIMBY's came out in droves to hoot down the proposal.

 

You can read the full articles at the link below.  But to summarize the neighbors thoughts: LESS DENZ, MOHR GREEN

 

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2015/06/30/lifestyle-communities-plan-draws-large-vocal-crowd.html

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/06/29/Childrens-Home-development-plan.html

It's like a more urban New Albany.

Those complaints were ridiculous. 'transient housing'-please. I would love to force  them to build 1,000 units of section 8 housing on the site, and have the architecture of the buildings look like a nod to Kaliningrad. Classist pricks.

Sweet Carrot planning restaurant at Worthington’s Village Green

 

 

The city of Worthington expects to seal a deal with the operator of the Sweet Carrot food truck for a restaurant next to the city's historic Village Green.

 

Council on Monday will consider a 2,400-square-foot lease deal between the food vendor and the city’s nonprofit Worthington Community Improvement Corp. to serve as an anchor in the redevelopment of 752 High St.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/09/18/sweet-carrot-planning-restaurant-at-worthington-s.html

Some more about Sweet Carrot's planned renovation of the historic Kilbourne Memorial Building that is located on the northeast quadrant of Worthington's Village Green.  According to this 2008 article from ThisWeekNews, the building at 752 High Street has also been known as the James Kilbourne Memorial Library and as a school administration building.  It was built as a library in 1927 and used as either a library or a school building until 2000, when school administrators moved to their current location:

 

---

Sweet Carrot Opening Worthington Restaurant Next Year

By Walker Evans, Columbus Underground

September 18, 2015 - 4:17 pm

 

The team behind the Sweet Carrot food truck has not yet gotten their first brick-and-mortar restaurant up and running, but they’ve already made plans for a second location.  The restaurant and catering group announced today that their Sweet Carrot concept will become the new tenant of the historic Kilbourne Memorial Building in Worthington next summer.

 

Sweet Carrot is partnering with the Worthington Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) to utilize 2,400 square feet of space in the city-owned building located at 752 High Street in Old Worthington. “We are very excited to have this moving forward with Sweet Carrot as our anchor tenant,” said CIC Chairperson and Council President Bonnie Michael.

 

The project would be the third historic preservation effort for the company, which is working to renovate the former Rife’s Market at 1417 West Fifth Avenue into the first Sweet Carrot restaurant, and previously renovated an old streetcar facility in the Brewery District to create the High Line Car House event venue.  ...  Sweet Carrot owner Angela Petro said that they plan to start construction on the Worthington location in late winter or early spring with an opening planned for early summer 2016.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/sweet-carrot-worthington

It looks like the NIMBY's have won the day regarding the Lifestyle Communities proposal to redevelop the UMCH site in Worthington.  CU reports this in their October Development Roundup at http://www.columbusunderground.com/new-development-in-columbus-ohio-bw1:

 

Lifestyle Communities’ proposal for the 41-acre United Methodist Children’s Home site across from the Worthington Municipal Building appears to have stalled after significant push-back from the neighborhood.  A statement adopted by Worthington’s City Council on October 12th said that no revised plan has been submitted to the city and emphasizes that the council “has never supported nor does it support the plan presented by UMCH and the developer.”

 

Here is a link to the full Worthington City Council statement:  Worthington City Council Statement Regarding UMCH Development - Adopted Monday, October 12, 2015

A little more Worthington NIMBY-ism from yesterday election results:

 

Worthington voters approve Issue 38

By Earl Rinehart, The Columbus Dispatch

Wednesday, November 4, 2015 - 12:41 AM

 

Worthington voters approved extending the time it takes for rezonings to take effect to 60 days.  Issue 38 passed 3,179 to 2,928, according to final, unofficial results Tuesday.

 

Challenger Doug Foust and incumbent Doug Smith, both supporters of the measure, finished first and second, respectively, in balloting for three city council positions. ... Incumbent City Council President Bonnie Michael, who opposed extending the waiting period from the current 20 days because she said it could hurt economic development, finished third. ... The rezoning period debate will pick up again when a city commission reviews Worthington’s charter.  The commission could recommend keeping the wait at 60 days or reducing it, with voters having the final say in November 2016.

 

Foust and Smith supported the residents’ group “Keep Worthington Beautiful” that argued the 20 days didn’t give residents opposed to a rezoning approved by council enough time to put the question before voters.  A longer waiting period gives residents more time to mount a campaign to overturn the rezoning by a referendum.

( . . . )

Issue 38’s chief target is Lifestyle Communities’ proposal for the United Methodist Children's Home property on High Street, especially 350 high-end apartments fronting High Street.  Keep Worthingon Beautiful favored more single-family housings and empty nester housing.  Apartments, they argued, would attract more transient residents. ... Michael and others said the 60-day wait would stifle development, the city’s economic growth and could discourage developers from taking on projects in Worthington.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2015/election/issue-38-worthington.html

A little more Worthington NIMBY-ism from yesterday election results:

 

Worthington voters approve Issue 38

By Earl Rinehart, The Columbus Dispatch

Wednesday, November 4, 2015 - 12:41 AM

 

Worthington voters approved extending the time it takes for rezonings to take effect to 60 days.  Issue 38 passed 3,179 to 2,928, according to final, unofficial results Tuesday.

 

Challenger Doug Foust and incumbent Doug Smith, both supporters of the measure, finished first and second, respectively, in balloting for three city council positions. ... Incumbent City Council President Bonnie Michael, who opposed extending the waiting period from the current 20 days because she said it could hurt economic development, finished third. ... The rezoning period debate will pick up again when a city commission reviews Worthington’s charter.  The commission could recommend keeping the wait at 60 days or reducing it, with voters having the final say in November 2016.

 

Foust and Smith supported the residents’ group “Keep Worthington Beautiful” that argued the 20 days didn’t give residents opposed to a rezoning approved by council enough time to put the question before voters.  A longer waiting period gives residents more time to mount a campaign to overturn the rezoning by a referendum.

( . . . )

Issue 38’s chief target is Lifestyle Communities’ proposal for the United Methodist Children's Home property on High Street, especially 350 high-end apartments fronting High Street.  Keep Worthingon Beautiful favored more single-family housings and empty nester housing.  Apartments, they argued, would attract more transient residents. ... Michael and others said the 60-day wait would stifle development, the city’s economic growth and could discourage developers from taking on projects in Worthington.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2015/election/issue-38-worthington.html

Their slogan should be 'Keep Worthington Shrinking".

The renovation of the former Masonic Lodge in downtown Worthington received state historic tax credits:  http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/12/16/drexel-theatre-microapartments-among-5-projects.html

 

Worthington Masonic Lodge

 

- Project cost: $4.397 million

- Tax credit: $250,000

- Address: 634 High Street

 

The Masonic Lodge and Museum, dating to 1820 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be converted into commercial space and residential units.  More about the Masonic Lodge renovation project earlier in this thread - posted here.

 

THE ORIGINAL 1820 SECTION IS TO THE LEFT; THE LARGER 1955 ADDITION IS TO THE RIGHT

OfficeScape redevelopment in Worthington advancing with grants

By Brian R. Ball, Staff Reporter - Columbus Business First

September 14, 2015, 2:53pm EDT

 

Trivium Development LLC is closer to getting underway on the redevelopment of the former OfficeScape property.

 

The city of Worthington approved a $222,000 Venture Grant to encourage Trivium’s efforts to renovate the 39-year-old office property at 350 W. Wilson Bridge Road.  The project also landed a $60,000 grant to offset demolition costs from the county-sponsored Central Ohio Community Improvement Corp., which operates Franklin County's land bank program and funds demolition of blighted properties.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/09/14/officescape-redevelopment-in-worthington.html

Former Zettler space in Worthington adds Grid Furnishings, with Igloo moving soon

By Dan Eaton, Staff Reporter - Columbus Business First

September 29, 2015, 1:59pm EDT

 

A Worthington retail space that helped people fix houses for years is now helping shoppers outfit their homes.  Tim Friar opened his Grid Furnishings modern furniture gallery almost five years ago in the Short North, but facing an expiring lease and a need for more room, he packed up and moved to Worthington where he’s now filling a 3,250-square-foot downtown spot that was part of the Zettler Hardware space at 661 High Street.

 

That store closed late last year.  The Zettler family still owns the building.  Grid will be joined by new neighbor Igloo Letterpress, another local business in need of more space, which expects to open its new shop in October (2015).

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/09/29/former-zettler-space-in-worthington-adds-grid.html

MedVet to expand Worthington HQ, add 99 jobs

By Laura Newpoff, Assistant Managing Editor-Digital

Columbus Business First

December 15, 2015, 1:29pm EST

 

Fast-growing MedVet Associates LLC will add 99 jobs in Worthington as part of a $1.65 million expansion project.

 

The specialty health-care center for pets will purchase and renovate a 42,000-square-foot building at 350 E. Wilson Bridge Road in Worthington, which is next door to its 57,000-square-foot headquarters.

 

MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/12/15/medvet-to-expand-worthington-hq-add-99-jobs.html

Couple of signage and wayfinding projects for the City of Worthington:

 

-- Citywide sign and wayfinding program proposed for 2016:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2015/12/01/city-signs-officials-point-to-benefits-of-2016-project.html

 

-- Combined Bicycle and Pedestrian street crossing system planned for High Street in downtown Worthington:  http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2015/12/15/pedestrian-safety-access-beacons-proposed-for-high-street-intersections.html

Developer shares vision for $40M lifestyle development on prominent Worthington corner

 

The site of an outdated Holiday Inn and sprawling parking lot on one of Worthington’s most prominent street corners eventually could look more like a miniature Easton Town Center.

 

Ahead of Thursday’s town hall meeting, Alliance Hospitality Inc. Managing Director Ohm Patel shared preliminary plans with Columbus Business First for a mixed-use development on the 7-acre property at High Street and Wilson Bridge Road, anchored now by a 41-year-old hotel.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2016/02/exclusive-developer-shares-vision-for-40m.html

Hotels, restaurants and offices proposed for high-profile Worthington site

 

 

Alliance Hospitality Inc. is proposing a walkable district of hotels, restaurants and offices on the Holiday Inn hotel site at High Street and Wilson Bridge Road in Worthington.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/03/08/first-look-hotels-restaurants-and-offices-proposed.html